earnest

An example of someone earnest is a preacher speaking to a congregation of devout followers.

A lesson on how to correctly perform CPR is an example of something earnest.

noun

Earnest is defined as the state of being serious or intense.

A contract is an agreement that is an example of something made in earnest.

An artist who works constantly and makes many pieces of art each day is an example of working in earnest.

earnest

serious and intense; not joking or playful; sincere, ardent, etc.

Origin of earnest

Middle English ernest ; from Old English eornoste ; from eornost, earnestness, zeal, akin to German ernst, seriousness (OHG ernust) ; from Indo-European base an unverified form er-, to set oneself in motion, arouse from source run

earnest Idioms

in earnest

serious; not joking

in a serious or determined manner

money given as a part payment and pledge in binding a bargain

in full earnest money

something given or done as an indication or assurance of what is to come; token

earnest

Showing or expressing sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill. See Synonyms at serious.

Origin of earnest

Middle English ernest, from Old English eornoste; see er-1 in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

ear′nest·ly

adverb

ear′nest·ness

noun

noun

Earnest money.

A token of something to come; a promise or assurance.

Origin of earnest

Middle English ernest, variant of ernes, alteration of Old French erres, pl. of erre, pledge, from Latin arra, alteration of arrab&omacron;, from Greek arrab&omacron;n, earnest-money, of Canaanite origin; see &ayin;rb in Semitic roots.

From Middle English eornest, from Old English eornoste (“earnest, zealous, serious”), from eornost ("earnest", the noun; see above). Cognate with North Frisian ernste (“earnest”), Middle Low German ernest, ernst (“serious, earnest”), Germanernst (“serious, earnest”).